The History Of Shariff Collection
Updated: Sep 23
Hello everyone. In previous posts, I detailed the stories behind the artistic creation of the RaritieS Collection (launched on May 28, 2024) and the Mini-Minimalism Art Movement—which I founded on December 4, 2025. These initiatives benefited from my mother's direct financial support for the physical workspace, as well as her involvement in cultural intermediation and the co-authorship of specific projects, alongside various artistic influences [1, 2, 3].
Today, however, I present the story of the Shariff Collection, officially launched on March 25, 2022, on the Rarible OG platform; it currently comprises 154 artworks.
1 - Shariff Collection
The origin of the name Shariff comes from Arabic, where the most common spelling is Sharif, meaning "noble," "honorable," or "virtuous."
Regarding the Collection, which I informally call the "Cornerstone" because it was my first official art project, I set my goal here to bring Minimalism and Neo-Minimalism to the blockchain through NFTs. I was directly influenced by the works of Sol LeWitt, Frank Stella, Donald Judd, and Piet Mondrian, and I created opportunities to pay homage to them. With this foundation established, I was able to explore geometric shapes, colors, spatial configurations, and the archiving of artistic source files (such as Photoshop PSD files), among other elements.
This was the first banner for the Collection that I worked on.
I used the 4 standard colors (Blue, Yellow, Green, and Red)
with the name Shariff in Arabic, written in white, in the middle.
April 2, 2022.
2 - Tribute To Donald Judd
One such tribute was dedicated to Donald Judd through the "Dlanod" subsection (Dlanod being "Donald" spelled backward), featuring 13 digital artworks I recreated based on his woodcuts.
created on June 26, 2023. and published on the Shariff profile
on Rarible OG on same day.
3 - Tribute To Sol LeWitt
Sol LeWitt was another major source of inspiration for me. The first piece in the Shariff Collection, titled "X-Draw", draws from this influence by exploring five colors he frequently used. "X-Draw" features a black X shape, with yellow at the top, green at the bottom, red on the left, and blue on the right.
Shariff #0001 - X-Draw, created on March 8, 2022,
and published on the Shariff profile
on Rarible OG on March 25, 2022.
4 - Minimalism and Brutalism
By exploring diverse geometric forms, I came to understand that the honesty of my digital art can also be synchronized with Brutalism, even while working artistically within the context of Minimalism. One of the greatest strengths—perhaps the greatest—of the artworks I am about to show you lies in my family’s experience with structural renovations on our home; after all, raw concrete, exposed wiring, brickwork, traditional roof tiles, exposed beams, and dust—along with other memories and materials associated with that process—were all part of our story.
created on March 19, 2022,
and published on the Shariff profile
on Rarible OG on March 31, 2022.
Shariff #0011b - Eleven (Black & Yellow Version),
created on March 19, 2022,
and published on the Shariff profile
on Rarible OG on March 31, 2022.
Brutalist composition extends far beyond concrete; it translates into the digital realm through mathematics. For instance, in the work "Eleven" (as well as the "Black & Yellow" version), there are 11 interconnected lines; yet, a casual glance might reveal only 10. Take a look:
Frame extracted from the original
PSD (Photoshop) file.
Regarding the artwork "Sun", the Sun overlaps the 13 vertical lines, reinforcing the idea that steel and concrete structures require sunlight to avoid losing their three-dimensionality, thereby making light the ultimate and defining element.
created on July 21, 2023,
and published on the Shariff profile
on Rarible OG on same day.
Regarding the "Steel" artwork, I represented industrial steel—through which gas and water flow—in two distinct formats: L-shaped and folded.
Shariff #0037 - Steel,
created on July 17, 2023,
and published on the Shariff profile
on Rarible OG on August 02, 2023.
Finally, I’m going to show you three of the photos we took of our house's structure during the renovation in October 2023.
Image 1
Image 2
Image 3
5 - Spiritual Refuge
The third and final example of art—and the one that has had the greatest impact on my life—is the "Tariq" work. Here, using columns and staircases in four colors, I simulate an ascent to Paradise, allowing me to showcase my Christian faith.
Shariff #0018a - Tariq, created on April 4, 2022,
and published on the Shariff profile
on Rarible OG on April 7, 2022.
6 - Family Cultural Background
The cultural background my mother introduced throughout my life's journey. Examples include trips to places like Campos do Jordão, Curitiba, Petrópolis, Teresópolis, Vila Velha, Paraty, and Angra dos Reis—each with its own unique architectural character. Beyond these tourist excursions, we visited green spaces like Pedra Branca State Park [4] and the Botanical Garden; museums such as AquaRio, the Museum of Tomorrow, and the Rio Art Museum; the Expo Cristã evangelical fair; and the unmistakable architecture of the National Sanctuary of Aparecida—among many other cultural destinations that hold a cherished place in my fondest memories. [2]
7 - Musical Styles
One final layer is music, which serves as a catalyst for my late-night introspection and creativity. Some of the music I use for creative purposes includes classics from the 80s, 90s, and 2000s; and especially Trance sounds, such as Mhammed El Alami, Aly & Fila, and Above & Beyond.
8 - Future Commitment
In the future, I will create a Catalogue Raisonné of the Shariff Collection, just as I did with the RaritieS Collection, so stay tuned.
References
[1] Mini-Minimalism Art Movement. "Mini-Minimalism: A Manifesto". Mini-Minimalism Art Movement. Available at: [https://www.miniminimalism.art/post/mini-minimalism-a-manifesto] (https://www.miniminimalism.art/post/mini-minimalism-a-manifesto)
[2] Mini-Minimalism Art Movement. "About The Artist". Mini-Minimalism Art Movement. Available at: [https://www.miniminimalism.art/post/about-the-artist] (https://www.miniminimalism.art/post/about-the-artist)
[3] Mini-Minimalism Art Movement. "Mini-Minimalism: The History Of RaritieS Collection". Mini-Minimalism Art Movement. Available at: [https://www.miniminimalism.art/post/mini-minimalism-the-history-of-rarities-collection] (https://www.miniminimalism.art/post/mini-minimalism-the-history-of-rarities-collection)
[4] Mini-Minimalism Art Movement. "The Forest Absolute: New Era". Mini-Minimalism Art Movement. Available at: [https://www.miniminimalism.art/post/the-forest-absolute-new-era] (https://www.miniminimalism.art/post/the-forest-absolute-new-era)
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